Why is my kitten biting my other cat?

Basically, you have to keep in mind that for a cat, play is all about predation (or at least a mock version of it). Grabbing by the neck or the scruff, and even the back, is classic behaviour. Carrying things in their mouth is also what they do with prey, so it's best to look at it that way when he's wandering around with his soft toys. As for him mimicking his father—who, to him, wasn't a "dad" but just another cat—that’s certainly possible, though I don’t have enough expertise to tell you more on that. When our lad was still with us, he’d sometimes grab his sister by the scruff, and she’d regularly pester him while he was sleeping and sometimes grab him by the throat. As long as the female hasn't got any scabs where he's biting her, there's no need to worry about her physical health, but it could definitely start to stress her out over time. The "leopard cushion" should only be given to him when he’s in a state of excitement and then put away the rest of the time. If it’s lost its appeal, there are plenty of other catnip-filled soft toys out there, or you could try getting him a brand new version of the same one. Ideally, the female needs to stand up for herself. If she doesn’t and you feel it’s going too far, intervene gently by giving the little one his Kong. If he continues to go for her, isolate him in a room with the Kong for 10 minutes. Don't tell the kitten off; he isn't doing anything wrong. In any case, I don't think you need to fear him killing her; that’s very rare between cats (except with very young kittens involving the mother or a male). For play sessions, try to see if there are recurring times when he attacks and schedule them for then. Play needs to be intense—he should be running, jumping, climbing, and really burning off energy. Also, don’t let him catch the toy too often (you don’t win every hunt!), maybe just once every 3 or 4 times in a single session. If he flops onto his side, slow the game down; if he starts panting, stop the game. Finishing play with a little snack (I hunted, I killed the prey, I eat it) is a way to lead him into a calm period (I’ve hunted, I’ve eaten, I groom myself, I sleep). There will always be some hit and miss—it’s not an exact science—but it helped us a lot in a similar situation (though our two cats were the same age).

Thanks for your replies. We do play with the kitten for ages in the morning and evening though, and he has toys to play with on his own the rest of the time (including the Kong Kickeroo, which I used to call the "leopard cushion" 😂). He’s moved on to the next level now; he doesn't just give her a gentle nibble while she's sleeping anymore, but he charges at her, bites her neck, and pins her to the floor for several seconds! If I hadn't stepped in this morning, I don't know how long it would have gone on for, but once again, I'm really worried about my female cat. The little one is used to carrying soft toys around in his mouth as if they're his babies (he's a boy with a maternal instinct, honestly! His dad was just the same, he looked after him more than the mum did). So I don't know if he's trying to do the same thing here or if he's seeing my other cat as prey to be killed, as I think that's how cats go about it. He used to do it with the rabbit too, I think, but more aggressively, so I don't know if the intention is the same. Either way, I just hope he can't actually hurt her like that 😥 (I mean the cat; we keep a very close eye on him with the rabbit now to make sure it doesn't happen anymore).

Hi there, If your girl isn't traumatised by the little one, there’s no need to worry. However, to keep things that way, I’d suggest making sure the kitten plays for at least 20 minutes every day, or even two 20-minute sessions. It’s best to do this around the times he usually starts picking on the older one. He needs to run about, jump, climb and really tire himself out. A 6-month-old kitten, even if he’s been neutered, is a total live wire; if you don't give him a way to let off steam, he’s going to target your girl. Invest in a toy he can wrestle with (like a Kong Kickeroo) so he can bite and attack it as much as he likes (only give it to him every now and then so he doesn't lose interest).